Car-coupling.



No. 636,957. Patented Nov; I4, I899. T. CUSICK.

cAn' COUPLING.

{Application filed "Tuly 8, 1899,)

(No Model.)

WITNESSES INVENTOH.

fhpmus Camaflk VG ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS OUSIOK, OF OOGSWELL, NORTH DAKOTA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 636,957, dated November 14, 1899.

Application filed July 8, 1899. Serial No. 723,201. (N0 model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I THOMAS OUsIoK, a citi-' zen of the United States, residing at Cogswell, in the county of Sargent and State of North Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in car-couplers of that general type known as pin-and-link couplers, and the same is embodied in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, and definitely pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings like letters of reference refer to corresponding parts in the several views.

Figure l isa longitudinal sectional View of a coupler-head with my improvements attached. Fig. 2 is a front plan View. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, and Fig. 4 is a detail of the coupling-pin and its lock.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a coupler-head of the ordinary substantially rectangular cross-section. Mounted so as to slide back and forth in the hollow portion a of this head is a pin-suspending plunger B. This plunger is designed to be spring-pressed, and to accomplish this purpose and aiford an easy and efficient adjustment thereof I secure in a rear position of the head an abutment 1), between which and the plunger a spring I) is interposed. The plunger is made of two sections, the forward section being provided with an internally-screw-threaded portion 1) and the rear section havingin turn a screw-threaded stem 11', adapted to engage the portion 19. It will thus be seen that by adjusting the two sections of the plunger relative to each other various styles of springs may be employed and the tension thereof regulated with little inconvenience,the plunger being readily removable from the head, as will hereinafter appear.

The head A is provided at its forward upper and lower end with apertures c 0 diametrically opposite each other, and projecting from the top surface thereof is a guide 0, in which the pin D, presently to be described, works and is guided. At its sides this guide has the elongated slots 0, and at its upper end has a detachable cap 0, which normally limits the upward movement of the pin. The normal adjustment of this cap is such that the pin when elevated to its fullest extent will project into the head A a suflicient distance to prevent the plunger B from escaping therefrom. The lower end of the pin has a beveled projection d, against which the forward end of the plunger impinges in retaining the pin elevated until disengaged by being forced away therefrom by a link in the coupling operation.

The coupling-pin is of the form best seen in Fig. 4, although it may be formed of a single piece of cast metal, if desired. As shown, however, it comprises the crosspiece 6, which is guided in the slot 0 of the guide 0. Projecting downwardly intermediate the ends of this bar is the pin proper, D, having a screwthreaded extension at its upper end passing through the cross-bar and engaged by a nut e. Arms f f are correspondingly secured to the ends of the cross-bar and are adapted to hang downwardly on the outside of the head A. These arms have eyes f at their extreme ends, to which operating-ropes may be attached in order to elevate the pin in uncoupling. Just above these eyes the arms have apertures f" extending therethrough. The purpose of these apertures is to provide for the passage of the locking fingers'or pins g, which are carried by flat springs g, secured at, their upper ends to the outsides of the armsfand having the handholds h for withdrawing the fingers against the tension of the springs when it is desired to uncouple. It will be seen that the spring-pressedfingers engaging as they do the under edge of the coupler-head the pin is efiectually locked in position when coupled and the danger of accidental uncoupling entirely dispensed with.

The fingers may be operated by hand or suitable cord, chain, or lever operating mechanism employed at will without departing from the nature and principle of the inven tion.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the parts while in normal position are positively held in proper position, yet should repairs be necessary, as in the case of the breaking of the springs 12, all that is necessary to be done to separate the parts and render them removable is to remove the cap 0" from the guide C and withdraw the pin, and the plunger and spring will be readily accessible.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. In a car-coupler, the combination with a draw-head, a spring therein, aplunger against which the spring abuts for suspending the pin out of operative position adapted to be lengthened or shortened to regulate the tension of the spring comprising one member having an elongated internal screw-threaded portion, and a second member having an elongated screw-threaded stem adapted to be adjusted in the first member, substantially as described.

2. In a car-coupler, the combination with a draw-head,a spring therein, a plunger in front of the spring comprising adjustable sections adapted to regulate the tension of the spring, and a pin limited in its upward movement to project slightly below the upper plane of the plunger to constitute the means for retaining the several parts in operative relation in the draw-head, substantially as described.

3. In a car-coupler, the combination with a coupling-head,of a coupling-pin passing therethrough, arms projecting from the pin to each side of the coupling-head, and spring-fingers on the arms for locking the pin in coupled position, substantially as described.

4. In a car-coupler, the combination with a coupling-head, a coupling-pin, a plunger for supporting the pin, and means for limiting the vertical movement of the pin wherebyits end projects downwardly below the upper plane of the plunger and constitutes a stop for retaining the plunger in the head, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS CUSICK.

\Vitnesses:

RICHARD MoG-ARTEN, B. T. PITUs. 

